The TwentyFour Tributes
by RoseMarie Fanfics
Summary: Blake, a girl from District Three, has been reaped for the Seventy-Fourth Annual Hunger Games. Being specially trained since the age of nine, she teams up with the Careers. Can she win the Games? With help from the Careers, probably. R&R, please! Rated T for violence in later chapters. Everything belongs to Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

The 24 Tributes

"I hate the reaping..." thought Blake as she stared up into the night sky. She wished that she could see the real sky though. The smoke from the factory smokestacks turned the black, starry sky into a sickly pinkish color. Tomorrow was the day of the Reaping, where two tributes, a boy and a girl, would be chosen to compete in the Hunger Games, the most brutal competition on the face of the Earth. Ever since Blake was a small child she had a never seen a tribute from her district (which was District 3) win. If she was chosen though, she would be ready.

Since the age of nine she had created her own little "training center" as she called it. She could fight skillfully with any weapon, but her choice weapon was knives. She could throw them hard, but with more finesse. "As long as I don't get picked, I'll be fine and safe. If I do, I'll be prepared..." Blake thought to herself as she stared at the ill- colored sky.

Just then a loud buzzing noise came from her pocket. She pulled her advanced phone out and looked at the shining screen. A smile spread across her lips as she saw who was calling. It was her dear friend Tessie. They had become good friends when she had visited her district in the 73rd Hunger Games for the Victory Tour. She came from District 5 and was the same age as Blake. Ever since then, she had been friends with her. She pressed a large button in the middle of the device and said, "Hello?"

"Hey Blake! I just wanted to wish you good luck at the Reaping tomorrow," said Tessie.

"Oh, thanks... Good luck with the mentoring," Blake replied pushing a strand of her short golden-brown hair out of her face.

"I'll try to be a good mentor! Bye!" said Tessie cheerfully before hanging up. 'At least she doesn't have to face the Reaping tomorrow...' thought Blake to herself as she stared into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

The Reaping took place on a quiet street in District 3. Flowers lined the walkways and windows decorated in ribbons awaited Blake as she graciously stepped into the line to get signed in with the others the very next day. When it was her turn, she looked away. She felt a sharp pain in her pointer finger of her left hand.

To get signed into the Reaping, a blood sample was needed. Blake hated the sight of her own blood, so every year she would look away. After the sample was taken, she lined up with other kids her age as usual. Her name was in the Reaping 15 times today. Once everyone was signed in, a woman who wore heavy make-up and Capitol clothing stepped onto the stage. Blake rolled her eyes at the sight of none other than Effie Trinket. She handled the Reaping every year, and Blake desperately wished it was someone else. "Hello everyone! Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor!" Blake mouthed her words as she went on with her opening speech. The words were sooo familiar from every year.

"Now let's quickly see a video sent to us straight from the Capitol!" said Effie excitedly into the large microphone placed before her. The giant television screen beside her sprang to life with the all too familiar video. As the movie played, Blake couldn't have been more nervous.

There could be a good chance of her actually going to the games. "But I'll be prepared..." Blake kept reassuring herself as she took some nervous glances at the television screen until it faded to black.

"Now it's time to see which of you brave girls and boys will be representing District 3 in the 74th Annual Hunger Games! Ladies first!" shouted Effie as she plunged her hand into the giant glass ball that contained all of the girls names otherwise known as a "Reaping Ball" to Blake and Tessie. They always loved making fun of the Capitol and its inhabitants behind their back. But Blake came back down to Earth after she shouted out the tribute for the girls, Blake Gardenrose.


	3. Chapter 3

Blake couldn't have been more shocked when her name was called. She froze in fear as she saw thousands of faces staring at her. "C'mon then! Don't be shy!" called Effie up on the stage which seemed like miles away. Blake immediately put on a sinister grin as she strode up the steps of the stage and stood right next to Effie.

"This should be fun... And let's see if all of my secret training paid off..." thought Blake as she still had that sinister grin plastered on her face.

"Now for the boys..." said Effie as she put her hand in yet another "reaping ball" and pulled out another slip of paper. She read the name aloud. "Ross Smith." A terrified looking boy in the crowd walked towards the stage. When he got up to the stage, he looked as if he was going to be sick. Blake knew Ross. They had gone to school together, and were in the same grade. The reason Blake didn't hang out with him often was because he was always staring at her. Odd looks always gave her the creeps.

"Let's see how this freak show turns out!" thought Blake as Effie forced them to shake hands and began her closing speech. As they were rushed into the building to say their final goodbyes, Blake had almost thought that she had felt Ross touch her hand. "Weirdo..." she thought.

Her mother and father came in and hugged and kissed her like there was no tomorrow and they were never going to see their precious child again. Being an only child did have its perks you know. After final goodbyes and reassuring that she would be fine, Blake was ready to board the train. Ross didn't arrive until 10 minutes later. He had a pretty big family. The sliding doors flew open and Blake and Ross entered not knowing if they would ever see their families again.


	4. Chapter 4

Blake's eyes met luxurious delicacies all around her. There was food on silver trays just waiting to be eaten and lush carpet laid beautifully on the floor. "This is bliss..." thought Blake as she sat down on an odd looking circular chair and shut her eyes taking in all of the marvelous things around her. Ross sat down next to her in a chair similar and sighed.

He clearly wanted to talk to her, but he just couldn't find the right time. Blake was also ignoring him on purpose, and that made it even harder. "So I never thought that we would be here together, right?" said Ross as he smiled and looked at Blake. She sadly had no other choice but to answer the question and actually talk to Ross.

"Yeah I know. Do you know who our mentor is?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"I think his name is Beetee..." he said now getting up and moving over to a couch. He patted the cushion next to him signaling for Blake to come and sit with him.

"Oh crap, I know where this is going..." thought Blake as she reluctantly moved over to the couch and sat next to Ross.

"He won the 48th Hunger Games you know..." said Ross.

"Wait, who are we talking about? Beetee right?" asked Blake as moved closer to Ross. He clearly liked Blake's behavior because his eyes rippled with color. He had liked Blake all of his life and was hoping she had felt the same way.

"Yeah, let's just forget it right now. Are you scared about going into the games?" asked Ross who had now put his arm around Blake and was really enjoying it.

"Not as long as you're there to protect me..." Blake smiled as she said the words.

"I will..." And you can guess what happened next.


	5. Chapter 5

"What the heck is going on in here?" yelled Beetee as he walked into the room with a shocked expression on his face. Blake was sleeping on Ross, and he was absentmindedly stroking her hair. Blake awoke with a start and looked at the rugged District 3 mentor standing before them. " I do suggest that you two watch what you do because from the minute you stepped on that train the Capitol has been tracking your every move!" he said as the two tributes walked over to him.

"Sorry, I..." started Ross but Beetee cut him off. "This year I am going to make you two the best winners Panem has ever seen!" said Beetee.

"That's great! Can we see our rooms on the train now?" asked Blake.

"No, since District 3 is so close to the Capitol, we will be there in about 1 hour," explained the mentor. They all then sat down at a large round table. A feast had been prepared for their arrival, and it looked like nothing that Blake had ever seen before. Fancy golden plates and bright silver knives and forks made almost anyone want to go and have a meal on them.

Blake stuffed herself as the feast went on. If this was going to be the last decent meal that she was going to have, she wanted to cherish it.

"Whoa, is that the Capitol?" asked Ross as he walked over to the large window on the train.

"That sure is! Isn't what you thought it would be, huh?" said Beetee as he crossed over the room to look out of the window with Ross. Blake joined them after she had finished her meal.

"Wow, it's really big!" was all Blake could say as the train came to an abrupt stop.

"Well, this is when we get off! C'mon the stylists need to see you to get you ready for the Tribute's Parade!" said Beetee as Blake and Ross followed him off the train.

"Oh no..." thought Blake.


	6. Chapter 6

The Capitol was so bright that Blake had to shield her eyes when she stepped off of the train. Bright swirling, vivid shades of purple, orange, yellow, green, and aqua surrounded and engulfed her and her plain reaping dress. "Wait aqua? Tessie!" shouted Blake as she went up to greet her friend. But she noticed something else about Tessie. She was holding hands with the one and only Haymitch Abernathy, who was as drunk as could be. She was practically holding him up because he was close to falling every few seconds. "Why are you holding hands with him?" whispered Blake angrily to Tessie. She could not believe what her friend was doing! Holding hands with another mentor from another district!

"Never mind. I'll talk to you later. Good luck!" said Blake as she was rushed into one the tallest buildings she had ever seen. She and Ross wet into separate rooms because they had different prep teams. Blake was made beautiful in a matter of hours. But, "beauty came with a price" as her mother once said and was also in terrible pain from all of the ripping and pinching that went on in the room.

"You are now ready to see Blossom!" said one of the Capitol people that worked on Blake. They rushed her into yet another hospital- like room and a woman who looked much like Effie Trinket awaited her with a warm smile.

"Hi! You must be Blake! I'm Blossom! The prep team did a good job on you! Now let's find you a stunning dress that will make you shine, literally!" she ran out of the room and came back with one of the most beautiful dresses that Blake had ever seen in her life. Bright colors swirled together to form a long gown. She tried it on and felt that it was the perfect fit. Once Blossom added her own special things to the dress, it looked even more beautiful than before. Blake walked out of the room feeling confident in herself. She found Ross was wearing a somewhat similar suit except it wasn't a dress of course. Beetee met them in the elevator before they were about to mount their chariot.

"You two look stunning! Impress them for me!" Beetee said just as they departed. Blake and Ross both held hands and opened the heavy metal door that stood in front of them together.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hello citizens of Panem! It's time for the 74th annual Hunger Games Tribute Parade! I'm your host Caesar Flickerman along with co- host Claudius Templesmith. We're about to start the parade but first, Claudius, what do you think of this year's lineup?" "

Well I believe we are going to have a most fabulous year!" Claudius replied giving a thumbs- up to the camera.

"And here they come!" shouted Flickerman. "Wow, Districts 1 and 2 did an amazing job displaying their tributes this year. It's like an ' I'm going to win' attitude. District 3 is wonderful with their colorful costumes." Blake and Ross were in the fast- moving chariot still holding hands and smiling and waving to the crowd.

"We'll get 'em for sure this time..." Blake whispered to Ross as their chariot stopped with Districts 1+2. As they pulled up, the boy from District 2 was staring at her. "Strange..." Blake thought to herself.

Thousands of gasps uttered from the crowd as all eyes turned to the District 12 chariot. The girl and the boy from there seemed to be... on fire? "Are they on fire?" she spoke loudly so Ross could hear her over the loud gasps being made from the audience.

"District 12 has the audience in awe!" Flickerman shouted. All the other districts, including 3 looked upon 12 in envy.

"It was going to be the time for District 3 to shine, but 12 ruined it..." said Blake out into thin air. She would find them later in the arena. And when she did, they would be sorry.


End file.
